Curious to know what you guys think/like about Pink Floyd's early work


Listening through Pink Floyd's entire studio album discography these days. I mostly know their work from the 70's to 90's. I will admit, I haven't quite connected fully with their early psychedelic years from Piper to Ummagumma yet. I suppose I'm a bigger fan of their "BIG sound" that would evolve later on with David's important guitar riffs, solos, conceptual records, unique production and Waters' lyrics. Those first records honestly do not really delight me always. I'm really open to hearing thoughts, discussing factors and history of these records that could give me a more open perspective, and maybe understand the importance of these works. Why do some of you like them? Is it the history of the band forming? Starting out with Syd? Any documentaries or books that focus on the early years?
 

britt5

I can’t get into the Syd Barrett music. It’s just too weird and not melodic for me. 

I really liked Meddle, Ummagumma, and Astronomy Domine. One thing we should all keep in mind when judging these albums is the crazy rate they were churned out. Back in those days, bands were on a treadmill by their labels to put out new albums around every 6 months. That is crazy.  Today, many artists go two years (or more) between albums, even with all the modern technology that ought to make the process easier, so they have time to hone songs and make sure the material is exactly as they want.  Those in the late 1960s/early 70s, didn't have that luxury. 

Since you are referring to their early work then you mean the Syd Barrett era. Much of it isn’t nearly as accessible to listeners as their much better known great later works like Wish You Were Here, but I have come to love their early works just as much. For me, they are much more introspective and psychedelic. My first introduction as a kid was Echos. I continue to come back to that incredible long cut regularly throughout the years. For me, I’m transported to a massive underground cavern where musical notes drip into a deep placid pool like water off of stalactites. I had the incredible fortune of seeing Nick Mason & his band at The Tulsa Theater October of last year and was seriously impressed. They only performed Nick Mason/Pink Floyd’s early works and I was mesmerized. See him if you can before the opportunity is gone forever. It was an absolutely magical show!

I listen pretty much only to early Floyd, up to and including DSOTM, but especially Meddle, Atom Heart Mother and Ummagumma. I don’t listen to their later work as much.

 I loved Pink Floyd's early albums. Umugumma was definitely out there, my favorite and much underrated was Atom Heart Mother, very different and a classic. Echoes was another outstanding album, then they went for a more commercial sound and lost IMO, much of their innovative work.